Foldable kite

ABSTRACT

Kite with demountable framework of radial frame members secured in slots of a center disc. Cap screwed on core of disc clamps inner ends of frame members in disc. Lifting element with pockets accepting outer ends of frame members; when frame members assembled tightening of cap stretches lifting element taut on demountable framework.

United States Patent Inventor John Sinka 3823 East Hasting, NorthBurnaby, British Columbia, Canada App]. No 857,693 Filed Sept. 15, 1969Patented Oct. 12, 1971 FOLDABLE KlTE 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 244/153 Int. Cl B64c 31/06 Field of Search 244/ 153, 154, 155

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 274,340 3/1883 Kelly 244/1532,484,096 10/1949 Kay 244/153 2,524,500 10/1950 Whitehurst 244/1532,788,945 4/1957 Bedford 244/153 3,074,672 1/1963 l-lanrahan, Jr.244/153 3,327,975 6/1967 Vaughan 244/153 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,195 12/1901Germany 244/153 442,109 7/1925 Germany 244/153 Primary Examiner-MiltonBuchler Assistant ExaminerPaul E. Sauberer Attorney-Lyle G. TroreyABSTRACT: Kite with demountable framework of radial frame memberssecured in slots of a center disc. Cap screwed on core of disc clampsinner ends of frame members in disc. Lifting element with pocketsaccepting outer ends of frame members; when frame members assembledtightening of cap stretches lifting element taut on demountableframework.

PATENTEU 02mm $612,450

SHEET 2 UF 2 John Sinkzl,

Invcr y Lyle Troruy,

Agent FOLDABLE KITE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The invention relates to kites, and particularly to a kitethat can be assembled and disassembled.

2. Prior Art Kites are said to have been invented by Archytas ofTarentum (Tarento) in the fourth century B.C. Kites have liftingelements of various shapes; diamond, triangular with a semicircularhead, circular, and polygonal, shapes being well known. Nearly allkiteshave a pendulous tail for balancing purposes. The present inventionrelates to kites which can be disassembled and reassembled. Some knownkites of this kind are bulky, are difi'rcult to assemble anddisassemble, and are prone to damage even when not in use.

US. Pat. No. 3,327,975 issued to Vaughan in 1967 teaches a kite frameassembly that can be utilized with lifting elements of various shapes,and includes a center disc connecting member. After repeated assemblyand disassembly, due to wear and/or distortion the center disc no longerholds frame members rigidly. Thus the kite tends to have an excessivelyflexible lifting element after repeated assembly and disassembly, thiscauses instability in flight. Nevertheless the Vaughan central discconstruction marks advance in the art permitting many assemblies anddisassemblies before becoming inoperative from intolerable instability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention teaches a demountableframework for a kite, that is to say a framework which can be repeatedlyassembled and disassembled. The framework has structure providingcompensation for wear resulting from repeated assembly and disassemblyso reducing disadvantages and difficulties as aforesaid.

A kite according to the present invention has a demountable frameworkincluding radial frame members releasably secured in a center disc. Thedisc has a core, with radial slots in which inner ends of the radialframe members are inserted. The core has a stiff base, a cap releasablysecured to the core clamps the inner ends of the frame members when thecap is secured.

The kite has a lifting element with comer pockets accepting outer endsof the frame members which are of such length that, when the inner endsof the frame members are inserted in the slots and their outer endsinserted in the pockets, clamping as above stretches the lifting elementtaut.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of a kite according tothe present invention as seen from below,

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the kite,

FIG. 3 is a section on 3-3 of FIG. 2, some parts not being shown insection,

FIG. 4 is a fragmented detail section on 4-4 of FIG. 2, some parts notbeing shown in section,

FIG. 5 is a fragmented plan as seen from 5-5 of FIG. 4, one frame memberonly being shown,

FIG. 6 is a fragmented perspective of a frame member,

FIG. 7 is a fragmented detail section on 7-7 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 8 is a fragmented section similar to FIG. 4, showing an alternativesnapon means, some parts not being shown in section,

FIG. 9 is a fragmented detail of a portion of FIG. 8.

A detail description following, related to the drawings, givesexemplification of preferred embodiment of the invention which, however,is capable of expression in structure other than that particularlydescribed and illustrated.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Description related to Figs. 1 through 7 In FIGS. 1and 2 a kite 10 according to the invention is connected to a main line11 by four rigging lines l2, l3, I4, 15, shown in broken outline in FIG.1 and intersecting at a junction 16. The kite has a hexagonal liftingelement 17 with upper and lower surfaces, and corners 18 through 23, alongitudinal axis of the kite being defined by a line joining thecorners l8 and 21. The lifting element is of lightweight sheet material,as known in the art, and has a peripheral hem enclosing, as seen in FIG.7 only, a reinforcing cord 17.1.

The kite is shown with frame members on the upper surface of the liftingelement; they can be on the lower surface.

The lifting element is supported by six frame members 25 through 30which are secured releasably in a center disc 24 as latter described.The frame members extend radially outwards from the center disc, outerends being fitted into corner pockets later described.

The rigging lines 12, 13 and 14 are secured respectively adjacent thecomers 19, 18 and 23, and the line 15 is secured in the approximatemidpoint of the frame member 28 at 15.1, as shown in FIG. I, to reducebending due to lifting forces on the member 28. The lines 12 and 14 areof equal length and are secured around frame members near their outerends. The lines 13 and 15 are of such length as to give a required angleof attack of the kite-lifting element. The comers 22 and 20 serve asanchorage points for a bifurcated tail 36 which has two streamers 37 and38 joined at 39 to form a single tail 40 of suitable length.

The frame member 25, FIG. 6, has inner and outer ends 25.1 and 25.2 ofV-shape defined by pairs of sloping faces 31 and 32 converging to bluntedges 33 and 34 respectively, the edges being disposed at to each otheras shown. The remaining five frame members are similar to the framemember 25. Each of the comers I8, 19, 20, 22 and 23 of the hexagonallifting element has a small pocket, in FIG. 2 the pocket at the corner18 being designated 41. The pocket is adapted to receive the outer end25.2 of the frame member 25, the edge of which is positioned nicelywithin the pocket, the edge being blunted to reduce possibility ofcutting the pocket. The description above applies to all of the pocketsaforesaid, a frame member being positioned in each. For best results,each rigging line is secured to its respective comer by tying around thepocket while the pocket contains the outer end of its respective framemember. In this way, load from the rigging line is transferred directlyto the frame member, reducing risk of tearing.

The corner 21 is at a tail, or lower, end of the axis, this comer has apocket 42 longer than the pockets above, extending radially inwards fromthe comer beyond the point 15.1, so as to provide a larger area for loadtransmission. The pockets thus secure the lifting element to outer endsof the frame members. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the line 15 is tiedaround the frame member 28 with the pocket 42 sandwiched between theline and the member.

The inner end of each frame member is clamped in the center disc 24 FIG.4 so forming a demountable framework for the kite, the framework beingadapted to hold the lifting element taut. The center disc has three maincomponents, namely a core 43, a screw cap 44, and a base 51 of stiffmaterial secured to an underside of the core.

As seen in FIG. 5, the core has six equally spaced radially disposedslots 45 through 45.5. The slot 45 has parallel sidewalls 46 and aV-shaped inner end 47 complementing the V-shaped inner ends of the framemembers (see FIG. 6) all of the slots being similarly shaped. The framemember 25 is shown inserted in the slot 45.1. Provision of V-shapedinner ends of slots to complement blunted V-shaped inner ends of framemembers restricts rotation of the frame members.

As seen in FIG. 4, the cap has an internal thread 48 which screws on toan external thread 49 on the core, being thread means releasablysecuring the cap to the core. The cap has a hollow cylindrical rim 50with an annular face 50.1 opposing the stiff base 51, secured to thecore 43. When the frame elements are inserted in the slots 45 through45.5, and the cap 44 is screwed onto the core portion, the frame membersare clamped between the cap face 50.1 and the stiff base 51, forming ademountable framework assembly of frame members extending radiallyoutwards from the center disc 24.

The frame members are thus cantilevered from the center disc, andlooseness in the clamping can be reduced or eliminated by tightening thecap onto the core portion. After repeated assembly or disassembly,looseness above can occur due to wear and/or distortion of the centerdisc and/or frame members; and can thus be reduced or eliminated.

The frame members are of such length that, when their inner ends areinserted in the radial slots with their outer ends being received in thepockets, securing the cap as aforesaid stretches the lifting elementtaut. That is, each frame member has a length greater than the distancefrom slot to pocket. The frame members are thus held in the slots by twoforces, namely the clamping effect between the face 50.1 and the baseportion 51, and the urging inwards of the members due to the stretchedlifting element.

OPERATION The kite is assembled by placing the outer end of each framemember in its corresponding corner pocket. Inner ends of the framemembers are then sprung into the slots 45 through 45.1 sliding the edgesalong the vees until each frame member contacts the base 51. The slopingfaces 31 of the frame members are urged into the V-shaped ends of theslots as before explained. The cap 44 is then screwed onto the core 43,clamping the frame members between the face 50.1 of the rim 50 and thebase portion 51. The cap 44 is tightened. The rigging lines 12 through15 are secured around the four pockets, enclosing the outer ends of theframe members. The kite is now assembled and ready for use. It isconvenient to leave the rigging lines tied around the pockets when thekite is disassembled. Clearly the rigging lines pass through the liftingelement in order to be secured around the frame members.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT Description of FIGS. 8 and 9 The kite is shownwith a hexagonal lifting element, this being convenient for layout, itis to be understood that the lifting element can be almost any shapesymmetrical about the longitudinal axis.

In FIG. 8, an alternative central disc generally 53 is shown, having asnap-on cap 54 of resilient material, and a core 55 to which a stiffbase 56 is secured. The core has radial slots as described withreference to the core 43 in FIG. 5. In FIG. 8 the cap 54 is shownsnapped in position urging the frame members 26 and 29 against the base56, the lifting element 57 being held taut against the base.

In this alternative, screw thread means of FIG. 4 are replaced by asnap-on cap and groove combination shown at enlarged scale in fragmentedsection in FIG. 9 being a means, alternative to the FIG. 4 means, forreleasably securing the cap to the core and clamping the frame membersbetween the cap and the base.

The cap 54 is made of flexible resilient material and has a cylindricalrim 58 with an inner lip 59, the lip having a first conical face 61, andan annular face 62 which opposes the base 56. The core portion 55 has agroove having a cross section that is partially defined by a secondconical face 63 that complements the face 61 of the cap 54. For claritya space is shown between the faces 61 and 63, the two faces are incontact in an assembled kite.

Resilience of the cap 54 urges the lip 59 inwards into the groove, theface 61 sliding over the face 63 urging the annular face 62 towards thebase 56. This clamps the frame members between the base 56 and the face62. As can be seen, the lip 59 acts as a wedge having faces 61 and 62bearing against the face 63 and the frame member 26. The snap-on cap 54,the core 55, and the base 56, above serve as snap-on cap means adaptedto clamp the inner ends of the frame members so as to form thedemountable framework.

I claim:

1. In a kite (10) having a demountable framework including radial framemembers (25-30) having inner and outer ends (e.g. 25.1, 25.2), and alifting element (17) secured to the outer ends of the frame members, acombination including,

a. a center disc (24) having a core (43) with radial slots (e.g. 45)adapted to secure inner ends of the frame members inserted in the slots,

b. a stiff base (51) secured to the core,

c. a cap (44) releasably secured to the core, inner ends of the radialframe members being clamped between the cap and the base when the cap issecured to the core, forming a demountable framework assembly,

d. pockets (41) of the lifting element receive the outer ends (25.2) ofthe frame members, with each frame member having a length such that, inthe assembled framework, each extends from the core to a pocket, thelength of the frame members being such that, when their inner ends areinserted in the slots of the core with their outer ends being receivedin the pockets, securing the cap as aforesaid stretches the liftingelement taut,

e. the inner end (25.1) of a frame member has a V-shape defined bysloping faces (31) converging to a blunt inner edge (33), the radialcore slot receiving the inner end being of complementary shape (47) sothat rotation of the frame member is restrained.

2. A combination according to claim I wherein,

f. the outer end (25.2) of a frame member has a V-shape defined bysloping faces (32) converging to a blunt outer edge (34), the outer edgebeing in a plane parallel to the lifting element.

3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein,

g. the blunt inner edge is in a plane nonnal to the lifting element, theblunt edges being disposed at degrees to one another.

4. A combination according to claim 3 with thread means releasablysecuring the cap to the core.

5. A combination according to claim 4 wherein the cap is a snap-on cap(54) adapted for clamping as aforesaid.

1. In a kite (10) having a demountable framework including radial framemembers (25-30) having inner and outer ends (e.g. 25.1, 25.2), and alifting element (17) secured to the outer ends of the frame members, acombination including, a. a center disc (24) having a core (43) withradial slots (e.g. 45) adapted to secure inner ends of the frame membersinserted in the slots, b. a stiff base (51) secured to the core, c. acap (44) releasably secured to the core, inner ends of the radial framemembers being clamped between the cap and the base when the cap issecured to the core, forming a demountable framework assembly, d.pockets (41) of the lifting element receive the outer ends (25.2) of theframe members, with each frame member having a length such that, in theassembled framework, each extends from the core to a pocket, the lengthof the frame members being such that, when their inner ends are insertedin the slots of the core with their outer ends being received in thepockets, securing the cap as aforesaid stretches the lifting elementtaut, e. the inner end (25.1) of a frame member has a V-shape defined bysloping faces (31) converging to a blunt inner edge (33), the radialcore slot receiving the inner end being of complementary shape (47) sothat rotation of the frame member is restrained.
 2. A combinationaccording to claim 1 wherein, f. the outer end (25.2) of a frame memberhas a V-shape defined by sloping faces (32) converging to a blunt outeredge (34), the outer edge being in a plane parallel to the liftingelement.
 3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein, g. the bluntinner edge is in a plane normal to the lifting element, the blunt edgesbeing disposed at 90 degrees to one another.
 4. A combination accordingto claim 3 with thread means releasably securing the cap to the core. 5.A combination according to claim 4 wherein the cap is a snap-on cap (54)adapted for clamping as aforesaid.